Craig DiLouie

The Department of Energy has completed Retail Replacement Lamp product testing through the Solid-State Lighting (SSL) CALiPER program. A Summary Report containing the results is now available for download. This special testing was undertaken to identify and test performance of SSL replacement lamp products directly available to the general public through retail outlets (stores and [...]

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently unveiled a new Lighting Action Plan, which outlines four policy goals for lighting: market transformation, best practices, end user demand, and research, development and demonstration. Lighting is responsible for almost 25% of California’s electric energy use, but the California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan says that number can be [...]

Launched in October 2009 and managed by Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) QPL provides a central place for manufacturers to submit products for qualification and for utilities and energy efficiency program administrators to distinguish high performing products for use in their incentive programs. Due to the rapid technological advances in the SSL [...]

Cree, Inc. has unveiled a concept LED replacement lamp from its lighting research and development team that delivers more than 1,300 lumens at 152 lumens per watt (LPW) using Cree TrueWhite technology, exceeding the performance goals set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the 21st Century Lamp, the third category in its L [...]

The broad economic slowdown of recent months continued to affect the electrical manufacturing sector in July, with the Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions dropping to 32 from 45.5 a month ago, remaining below the growth threshold of 50 points for a second straight month. Forty-four percent (44%) of respondents to [...]

The rare earth phosphor shortage is resulting in price increases on popular fluorescent lamps, and shows no signs of abating. Rare-earth elements are used in a variety of products, from smart phones to hybrid cars to about 85 percent of the phosphors used in fluorescent lamps. Elements such as Cerium, Europium, Terbium and Yttrium are [...]

Following a six-month delay in implementation, Washington finally began enforcement of its 2009 energy code on January 1, 2011. The Vermont Commissioner of Public Safety and the Electricians Licensing Board announced the adoption of the Vermont Electrical Safety Rules 2011, effective June 1, 2011. On June 23, 2011, the Rhode Island Building Code Legislative Oversight [...]

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Solid-State Lighting program is sponsoring a free workshop titled “LED Lighting Basics” in Cincinnati on Wednesday, August 10, from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Duke Energy Convention Center, Room 261. Presented by Dr. Jack Curran of LED Transformations, the workshop will introduce participants to LED lighting basics and help [...]

June marked the third consecutive decline in revenue at U.S. architecture firms as measured by the Architecture Billings Index (ABI). As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the June ABI score [...]